Method of playing a game using cards and tokens

ABSTRACT

The game of spades is played with teams using a standard deck of 52 cards comprised of 13 cards in each of four different suits without the use of wild cards, the cards being shuffled and dealt equally to each of the players of the game. The players then bid, in turn, indicating to all participants the number of tricks they intend to take during the play of the hand. If excess tricks are taken, each excess trick is given a “bag” to the team gaining the extra trick. This invention adds tokens to indicate the bid of each player in the game, and additional tokens to indicate the number of acquired “bags” of each partnership, in clear view of all players in the game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The game of Spades originated in the United States in Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1930's and by the 1940's it was quite popular. Spades is a member of the Whist family and resembles a simplified version of Contract Bridge. It can be played with from two to five people, but the most popular version is played with four people in two partnerships against each other.

This invention is designed to make the popular card game of Spades easier to play between people at the same physical location by supplying a method that shows the status of the game to all of the players as the play progresses. This eliminates the necessity of referencing the score sheet continually.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The game of spades is usually played with two teams of two players each, using a standard deck of 52 cards comprised of 13 cards in each of four different suits without the use of wild cards, the cards being shuffled and dealt equally to each of the players of the game. The players then bid, in turn, indicating to all participants the number of tricks they intend to take during the play of the hand using tokens. If excess tricks are taken, each excess trick is given a “bag” token to the team gaining the extra trick. This invention adds tokens to indicate the bid of each player in the game, and additional tokens to indicate the number of acquired “bags” of each partnership, in clear view of all players in the game. 

1. This invention embodies a method of playing the card game of Spades using cards and tokens and is specifically geared for four human players in the same physical location.
 2. The method of claim 1 which utilizes tokens to visually display the numerical bid of each individual player for each hand played.
 3. The method of claim 1 which utilizes tokens to visually display the number of bags acquired by each team during the game. 